It is well known to catalyze the alkylation of aromatics with a variety of Lewis or Bronsted acid catalysts. Typical commercial catalysts include phosphoric acid/kieselguhr, aluminum halides, boron trifluoride, antimony chloride, stannic chloride, zinc chloride, onium poly(hydrogen fluoride), hydrogen fluoride, acidic ionic exchange resins, acidic clays, synthetic or natural zeolites, and solid acids such as amorphous silica-alumina. Alkylation with lower molecular weight olefins, such as propylene, can be carried out in the liquid or vapor phase. For alkylations with higher olefins, such as C16+ olefins, the alkylations are done in the liquid phase, often in the presence of hydrogen fluoride. Alkylation of benzene with higher olefins may be difficult, and typically requires hydrogen fluoride treatment. Such a process is disclosed by Himes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,277, entitled “HF Regeneration in Aromatic Hydrocarbon Alkylation Process,” which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
One problem with using acids, such as hydrogen fluoride, is that these acids are extremely corrosive, thus requiring special handling and equipment. Furthermore, the use of these acids might involve environmental problems. Another problem is that the use of these acids gives less desirable control of the precise chemical composition of the product.